I know I have the best of time and space, and was never measured
and never will be measured.
I tramp a perpetual journey, (come listen all!)
My signs are a rain-proof coat, good shoes, and a staff cut from
the woods,
No friend of mine takes his ease in my chair,
I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, I lead no man to a dinner-table, library, exchange,
But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll,
My left hand hooking you round the waist
My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents and the public
road.
Not I, not any one else can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.
It is not far, it is within reach,
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born and did not
know,
Perhaps it is everywhere on water and on land.
Shoulder your duds dear son, and I will mine, and let us hasten
forth,
Wonderful cities and free nations we shall fetch as we go.
If you tire, give me both burdens, and rest the chuff of your hand
on my hip,
And in due time you shall repay the same service to me,
For after we start we never lie by again.
This day before dawn I ascended a hill and look'd at the crowded heaven,
And I said to my spirit When we become the enfolders of those orbs,and the pleasure and knowledge of every thing in them, shall we be fill'd and satisfied then?
And my spirit said No, we but level that life to pass and continue
beyond.
You are also asking me questions and I hear you,
I answer that I cannot answer, you must find out for yourself.
Sit a while dear son,
Here are biscuits to eat and here is milk to drink,
But as soon as you sleep and renew yourself in sweet clothes, I
kiss you with a good-by kiss and open the gate for your
egress hence.
Long enough have you dream'd contemptible dreams,
Now I was the gum from your eyes,
You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every
moment of your life.
Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore,
Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,
To jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me, shout,
and laughingly dash with your hair.
Analysis
Walt Whitman was in a way similar to Mark Twain. Mark Twain was one of the first authors to break away from English writing. He wrote with American literature such as in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Walt Whitman was one of the first poets who use an American voice. He was the father of American poetry.
The poem does not have a certain rhyming pattern. There are eleven stanzas. The first stanza explains how he does not have to worry about anything because, he cannot be measured. In the beginning of the second stanza, he talks about a never ending journey. All that he has is a rain coat, sturdy shoes, and a staff from the woods. In the middle of the second stanza, he talks of how his life isn't easy, especially if his friends were to be him for a day. During the last part of the second stanza, he will lead up a hill and have you look at all the scenery.
In the third stanza, Walt Whitman says he can't travel the journey for you, but you must travel it yourself. During the fourth stanza, it says that they road is not long, and that you may have been on it all your life. It also says that it is on water and land. At the fifth stanza, Whitman tells the boy to gather his things and be ready to leave quickly. They will see many cities and nations along the way. The sixth stanza tells how if you tire, he will carry you and later you shall do the same for him. The seventh stanza explains how even if he saw everything in the universe he would still want to keep on exploring.
You are asking questions that must be solved by yourself, is what the eighth stanza is saying. In the ninth stanza, he will feed you, give you a place to rest, and then send you off. The tenth stanza says you have dreamed hateful dreams long enough and that you must dress for the dazzle of light and all the moments you will have in your life. The final stanza explains how you have shyly swam by holding onto a plank, it is time for you to swim freely and all you need to do is jump and start swimming.
I chose this poem because it deals with a journey through space and time. He does not want to teach you anything, he just wants to show you the universe and all there is to it. Whitman will show you the way to go when he cannot go any further. It is a poem about space and wonder that, is why I like this poem.
Gabe Taylor
Song of Myself
Section 46
I know I have the best of time and space, and was never measured
and never will be measured.
I tramp a perpetual journey, (come listen all!)
My signs are a rain-proof coat, good shoes, and a staff cut from
the woods,
No friend of mine takes his ease in my chair,
I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, I lead no man to a dinner-table, library, exchange,
But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll,
My left hand hooking you round the waist
My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents and the public
road.
Not I, not any one else can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.
It is not far, it is within reach,
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born and did not
know,
Perhaps it is everywhere on water and on land.
Shoulder your duds dear son, and I will mine, and let us hasten
forth,
Wonderful cities and free nations we shall fetch as we go.
If you tire, give me both burdens, and rest the chuff of your hand
on my hip,
And in due time you shall repay the same service to me,
For after we start we never lie by again.
This day before dawn I ascended a hill and look'd at the crowded heaven,
And I said to my spirit When we become the enfolders of those orbs,and the pleasure and knowledge of every thing in them, shall we be fill'd and satisfied then?
And my spirit said No, we but level that life to pass and continue
beyond.
You are also asking me questions and I hear you,
I answer that I cannot answer, you must find out for yourself.
Sit a while dear son,
Here are biscuits to eat and here is milk to drink,
But as soon as you sleep and renew yourself in sweet clothes, I
kiss you with a good-by kiss and open the gate for your
egress hence.
Long enough have you dream'd contemptible dreams,
Now I was the gum from your eyes,
You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every
moment of your life.
Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore,
Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,
To jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me, shout,
and laughingly dash with your hair.
Analysis
Walt Whitman was in a way similar to Mark Twain. Mark Twain was one of the first authors to break away from English writing. He wrote with American literature such as in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Walt Whitman was one of the first poets who use an American voice. He was the father of American poetry.
The poem does not have a certain rhyming pattern. There are eleven stanzas. The first stanza explains how he does not have to worry about anything because, he cannot be measured. In the beginning of the second stanza, he talks about a never ending journey. All that he has is a rain coat, sturdy shoes, and a staff from the woods. In the middle of the second stanza, he talks of how his life isn't easy, especially if his friends were to be him for a day. During the last part of the second stanza, he will lead up a hill and have you look at all the scenery.
In the third stanza, Walt Whitman says he can't travel the journey for you, but you must travel it yourself. During the fourth stanza, it says that they road is not long, and that you may have been on it all your life. It also says that it is on water and land. At the fifth stanza, Whitman tells the boy to gather his things and be ready to leave quickly. They will see many cities and nations along the way. The sixth stanza tells how if you tire, he will carry you and later you shall do the same for him. The seventh stanza explains how even if he saw everything in the universe he would still want to keep on exploring.
You are asking questions that must be solved by yourself, is what the eighth stanza is saying. In the ninth stanza, he will feed you, give you a place to rest, and then send you off. The tenth stanza says you have dreamed hateful dreams long enough and that you must dress for the dazzle of light and all the moments you will have in your life. The final stanza explains how you have shyly swam by holding onto a plank, it is time for you to swim freely and all you need to do is jump and start swimming.
I chose this poem because it deals with a journey through space and time. He does not want to teach you anything, he just wants to show you the universe and all there is to it. Whitman will show you the way to go when he cannot go any further. It is a poem about space and wonder that, is why I like this poem.